I Will Remember You
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: “Cap, she’s not there. Her car’s there, and all her clothes and stuff is there, but she’s not. There’s something very wrong going on. Liv wouldn’t just take off without telling me.”
1. Gone

Hahaha, I'm back again! Now that I'm done with Chasing Ghosts, I've moved on to my next big piece, I Will Remember You. So enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine. But what fun they would have if they were...

This chapter is for all of my fans of the rest of my works. I hope this will meet the expectations of my loyal readers...

SVU Precinct

Wednesday, January 9th

8:15 am

Elliot looked curiously at his partner's empty desk as he walked into the bullpen. "Hey, Cap?" he shouted, shedding his jacket and laying it on the back of his chair.

"What?" Cragen asked, stepping out of his office.

"Have you seen Liv yet?" Elliot questioned, and the older man shook his head, glancing sideways at his detective.

"You mean she hasn't gotten here yet?"

Elliot nodded, cramming his hands into his pockets.

"Call her cell."

Elliot gave Cragen a glance before pulling out his cell phone and hitting the speed dial for his partner's cell. It rang once, twice. After the fourth ring, it went to her voice mail, and he left a short message before closing the phone and shoving it back into his pocket.

"Hey, where's Liv?" Munch asked as he and Fin sauntered into the bullpen, and a knot developed in his stomach as he grabbed his jacket and said, "Don't know, but I'm going to find out." The other two detectives watched with worry as Elliot stormed out of the precinct, slamming the door behind himself.

Apartment of Olivia Benson

Wednesday, January 9th

8:45 am

"Olivia?" Elliot shouted as he walked into her apartment, searching the empty space for his partner. "Liv, where are you?" Realizing that she wasn't there, he ran back out of the building and jumped into his car, slamming the door shut.

As he drove back to the station, he pulled his cell phone out and called Cragen.

_Cragen._

"Cap, she's not there. Her car's there, and all her clothes and stuff is there, but she's not. There's something very wrong going on. Liv wouldn't just take off without telling me."

_Well, we can't file a missing persons until she's been missing for at least twenty four hours. Come back to the house, and we'll figure something out there._

"Okay." Then he snapped his cell phone shut and tossed it onto the passenger seat, gripping the steering wheel with sweaty palms. "God, Olivia. Where are you?"

SVU Precinct

Wednesday, January 9th

1:30 pm

"Any news?" Fin asked his partner softly, and Munch sighed and shook his head. "He hasn't taken his hand off of his cell phone," Munch said quietly, and Fin nodded as they watched the former Marine rest his chin in his hand and sigh tiredly.

Suddenly Cragen's office door swung open, and every head in the bullpen swiveled to see the SVU captain run out of his office. "Okay, I pulled some strings upstairs, and we got the report filed and ready to go. Her picture's going to be posted all over the five o'clock news today," he shouted, standing in the center of the bullpen.

Elliot leapt up from his chair and stood in front of Cragen, coming face to face with him. "What can we do now?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. "What if she's hurt, or unconscious? We might not find her in time."

"Elliot, I know that you want to get her back. We all do. But the only thing we can do right now is wait for a credible lead, and hope for the best," Cragen said almost apologetically. Munch and Fin moved to stand beside Elliot, and he said desperately, "There's got to be something we can do!"

Cragen looked regretful, and Elliot stormed passed him and headed for the roof, his favorite retreat when he needed a break from the job. Looking back at his other detectives, Cragen jammed his hands into his pockets and said, "You guys get back to work. I'll let you know if something happens."

Munch and Fin nodded, reluctantly returning to their adjoined desks to complete unfinished paperwork.

On the rooftop, Elliot stared at the brightly lit city, the harsh wind biting at his hands and face.

_Somewhere down there_, he thought miserably, _Olivia could be lying hurt, bleeding, or_… He shook his head and refused to continue the thought. Instead he looked up at the bright afternoon sky, and he thought of her smile, and her warm and contagious laugh. He thought of the way she would secretly watch him when she thought he wasn't looking, or the smile that she seemed to save just for him. The one that started in her eyes, until it seemed like the entire room was lit up.

Rubbing his hand over his face, he sighed and said, "I'm going to find you, Liv. I promise I'll bring you home." After a while, he headed back into the precinct, resigning himself to a night in the crib.

The next morning, Elliot wearily trudged down the stairs from the crib, scrubbing at his red rimmed eyes. At the bottom of the stairs, his jaw dropped at the beehive of activity that the bullpen had turned into overnight.

Fin spotted him and darted over, a file in his hand. "Elliot, we've been getting calls all morning, but nothing solid yet," Fin informed him as they walked across the floor. Suddenly Cragen ran out of his office, and he sprinted up to his detectives, clutching a white piece of paper in his hand.

"We've got something."

TBC...

A/N: (Ducks rotten fruit while diving for cover) I told ya'll this would be big...


	2. Found?

Wow, thirteen reviews since last night! Awesome! Okay, I'm updating, but I want to hit the twenty review mark before my next update. I know ya'll can do it!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine... Dang it...

This chapter is for Kelly of the Midnight dawn (let's go rant!), onetreefan, sweet-4-stabler, and livnel4ever! Ya'll rock, and you've made me feel so much better about my return! Thanks!

Her entire body felt like it was on fire as she opened her eyes, and she groaned as the bright sunlight assaulted her blurry vision.

As she attempted to cling to consciousness, she head a car pull up alongside her, followed by footsteps and a feminine cry of, "Oh my God!" She tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't cooperate, almost as though it were full of rocks. She heard the woman call her name, and she forced her eyes open.

"Olivia?" Her eyes slid shut against her will, and she let out a weak cough.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm going to get you back home. Hold on, Olivia. I'm a doctor. Don't move," she heard the woman murmur, but she felt her grasp on consciousness slipping away. She felt the woman's prodding hands and heard her call for 911, but the darkness engulfed her, carrying her away from the woman's reassuring presence.

MDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMD

Cameron smiled as she drove to the hospital, tapping on the steering wheel and singing along with the radio.

_Don't need no copy of Vogue magazine _

_Don't need to dress like no beauty queen _

_High heels or sneakers, he don't give a damn _

_My baby loves me just the way that I am _

_My baby loves me just the way that I am_

She sang at the top of her lungs as Martina McBride sang it through the radio. About five miles away from the hospital, an object on the side of the road caught her attention, and she craned her neck to get a better view. Coming closer, the object became clearer, and she let out a gasp when she saw an arm. Ignoring honking horns, she jerked the steering wheel to the right and drove the car off the road, stopping a few feet away from the body. Jerking her seatbelt off, she climbed out of the car and ran to the person, who she now saw was a woman, and she could see the blood on her arms and face.

"Oh my God!" Without a second thought, Cameron fell to her knees and placed two fingers over the woman's pulse, hoping for a miracle. As she felt for the woman's pulse, she looked at her face and let out a quiet gasp. That's the missing detective everyone's been looking for, she thought. Olivia Benson.

"Olivia?" she called quietly, and the injured woman's eyes fluttered open. "Don't worry, honey. I'm going to get you back home." Cameron saw her mouth move in an attempt to talk, and she said, "Hold on, Olivia. I'm a doctor. Don't move." Then she grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed 911.

911, what is your emergency?

"Yes, my name's Allison Cameron, and I found a woman on the side of the highway. I need an ambulance down here now."

What is your location?

"We're northbound on highway sixteen."

Okay, an ambulance is on its way.

She ended the call, then dialed the number to the hospital. "This is Dr. Cameron. I've got a hit and run, with possible internal injuries and spinal damage. Have Dr. House and Dr. Foreman standing by." Then she snapped the phone shut and carefully moved her hands over the woman's body, taking care not to jostle her.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard sirens wailing, and when the paramedics finally appeared beside them, she stood up and said, "Take her to Princeton Plainsboro. Dr. Gregory House is on standby."

MDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMD

Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital

Wednesday, February 11th

8:52 am

Cameron rushed alongside the woman's stretcher as she was wheeled through the emergency room doors of the Princeton Plainsboro hospital. As they lifted her onto a bed, Cameron could her the woman moan something, and she leaned down close to hear what she was saying.

"Elliot… Elliot," the woman moaned before slipping back out of consciousness. Cuddy, Foreman and House appeared at her side a few seconds later, and she quickly informed them of the woman's condition.

"Her name's Olivia Benson, and she's been missing for the last month. They've been flashing her picture on the news every night since January," Cameron stated, and Cuddy nodded, saying, "I'll go make some calls." Then she walked away from the group and into her office, while House and the ducklings disappeared into the meeting room.

Shutting the door behind herself, Cuddy sat down at her desk and picked up the phone, slowly dialing a number that had been flashing on the T.V. screen for the last month. On the second ring, a tired voice answered.

_Cragen._

"Yes, I need to talk with someone about the missing detective."

_Alright, you have my full attention, ma'am. What can you tell me about Olivia's disappearance?_

"My name's Dr. Lisa Cuddy, and I'm the Dean of Medicine at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, in New Jersey. And I have Olivia Benson here in my care." For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the line.

_Are you sure it's her?_

"Yes, sir. The woman who brought her in, Dr. Cameron, recognized her from the photos on the news."

_We'll be down there in thirty minutes. Please, ma'am, whatever you do, don't let her out of your sight._

Cuddy started to reply, but the dial tone cut off her response, and she sighed and hung up the phone.

TBC...

A/N: Okay, it was a little abrubt, but I think ya'll will like this story... I hope.


	3. Who Am I?

Hahaha, I'm a sucker for the puppy dog eyes... So here's another update!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine... Hey, Meg, whaddya say we go kidnap Wolf and force him to write our stories as scripts? I'll drive!

This chapter is for Megan, cause she's fallen in love with the story. But I will NOT put Cuddy and Cragen together! (plugs fingers in ears and runs around in circles screaming) LALALALA! I can't HEAR you!! LOL.

SVU Precinct

Thursday, February 12th

9:15 am

Cragen slammed the phone down onto the receiver, then grabbed his coat and ran into the noisy bullpen. "Everybody, be quiet!" he roared, and immediately silence fell over the room. Lowering his voice, he said, "Stabler, Fin, and Munch, you three are going with me." They rose to their feet obediently, and Elliot shot him a questioning glance. "I just got a call from a doctor in New Jersey who claims she has Olivia in her care."

"Liv," Elliot whispered, and he grabbed his coat and darted out of the bullpen as fast as his wobbly legs would carry him.

"Are they sure it's Liv?" Munch questioned skeptically, and Cragen nodded.

"This doctor, Dr. Lisa Cuddy, saw Olivia's picture on the news, and she described the place on her neck where Gitano cut her. We need to go make sure it is her, then bring her home."

"Where is she?" Alex Cabot asked as she walked up to stand beside Munch.

"Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, in New Jersey. Now, let's go." He walked out of the bullpen, and Munch, Alex and Fin glanced at each other before quickly following him.

SVUMDSVUMDSVUMDSVUMDSVUMDSVUMDSVUMDSVU

Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital

Thursday, February 12th

10:00 am

Cameron leaned against the wall of the hospital room, listening to the unconscious woman's ragged gasps for air. Since she had been brought in, her condition had been rapidly deteriorating, and she was worried that the woman's friends might not make it in time to see her. So she took it upon herself to guard the woman until her friends did arrive.

"Cameron?" Chase stuck his head inside of the room, and Cameron turned her head to look at him. "Her friends are here. Do you want to come talk to them"

She nodded and glanced at the woman one more time before following Chase out into the hall, and into a small waiting room. As soon as they walked in, four men and a woman stood up and surrounded them.

A balding man stepped forward and shook Cameron's and Chase's hands, saying, "How is she?" Cuddy recognized his voice from the phone call, and she looked at him and said, "You must be Captain Cragen. I'm Dr. Cuddy. We spoke earlier over the phone."

Cragen nodded and motioned to the man with piercing blue eyes and said, "This is Detective Stabler. He's Olivia's partner." Then he pointed to the other two men and woman that stood beside him, saying, "This is Detective Munch and Detective Tutuola, and that's our Assistant District Attorney, Alex Cabot."

Chase nodded and looked at the group, then asked, "Does Miss Benson have any family we can contact?" The four men glanced at each other, and Cragen jammed his hands into his pockets and said, "No. Her mother died a few years back, and her father… disappeared before she was born. And she's an only child."

"Well, we're going to need someone who can make decisions for her if she becomes incapacitated," Chase explained, running his fingers through his blond hair.

"That would be me," Elliot said softly, stepping forward. He saw the confusion in his colleagues' features, and he said, "I'm her medical proxy. We talked about it a few months ago, and she gave me power of attorney, in case something like this ever happened. Please tell me this isn't the case."

Chase and Cameron exchanged looks, and she said, "It's too early to tell. She hasn't been conscious since she was brought in. Your name's Elliot, right?" He nodded. "Why don't you go ahead and come with me." Elliot looked at the other men, who nodded at him, and he nodded back and followed Cameron out of the waiting room.

Once they were out of the waiting room and walking down the long hallway, Elliot spoke quietly. "Why me? Why did you ask me to come?"

"Because. Anyone can see that you and your friends are very close. And if that's any indication of the relationship you have with her, you need to be with her, and she needs to know you are there," Cameron explained as they walked down the cold floor.

"But how did you know my name?"

She glanced at him, then said, "Because when we brought her in, she kept saying your name, over and over again. One of my colleagues figured that she was calling for a boyfriend or husband."

Elliot sighed softly, remembering that this wasn't the first time she had done that. One time, during a particularly hard case, she had been sleeping in the crib, and he had gone to wake her up. But when he had walked into the room, he heard her calling his name in her sleep.

Cameron stopped suddenly, and Elliot halted beside her. "I should tell you: her injuries appear pretty bad, but they look worse than they actually are. But she does have several broken ribs, a concussion, and plenty of nasty bruises," she stated mechanically, and Elliot frowned.

"What happened to her?"

"They didn't tell you?" He shook his head. "From what we can gather, she was thrown from a moving car. I was on my way here when I found her. I was the one who brought her in."

He ran one hand roughly over his face, then looked her in the eye and said, "Thank you, Dr. Cameron, for saving her. She's not just my partner… She's my best friend. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't found her. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

Cameron felt tears clog her throat at the man's honesty and gratitude, but all she could do was nod and smile slightly as she opened the door, allowing him access. He flashed her a weak smile, then took a deep breath and walked into his partner's room. The door shut behind him, and Cameron leaned against the wall and allowed her tears to fall unabashed. And that's how House found her a few minutes later, her face pressed into her hand and her shoulders shaking with sobs.

In a rare and very unusual display of public affection, House gathered Cameron into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. She let out another sob and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his strong chest.

"It's okay, Allison," he muttered gruffly, kissing the top of her head. "It's okay. It'll be okay."

Elliot edged into Olivia's room slowly, his heart beating faster with every step he took, until he was at her side. He had been preparing himself for every possible outcome, but the sight of it, real and in front of him, made his stomach turn. He could hear her ragged breaths, and he bit his lip and blinked at the rapidly forming tears.

The first thing that his eye noticed was the white bandage that was wrapped tightly around her head, and he choked back the vomit that rose in his throat as his eyes fell on the maroon color that stained the bandage. Dark circles stood out under her eyes in stark contrast with her pale skin, and he took another step closer and reached one trembling hand out to touch her cut and swollen lip.

"God, Liv, I'm so sorry," he blurted out suddenly, running his thumb along her lip. "I'm sorry that I didn't find you in time. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you from this. But I'm here now, and I promise, I'm never going to lose you again. Never," he whispered, sinking down into the chair beside her bed.

After a few minutes, Cameron slowly pulled away from House's arms, sniffing as she wiped away the tears from her cheeks. "Thanks," she said quietly, straightening her shirt and jacket. She started to walk away, but he shot his hand out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him again. She shuddered and snuggled against his chest, and he wrapped his free arm around her waist, then rubbed her back slowly.

"What exactly happened to her, Dr. Cuddy?" Cragen asked cautiously, and Cuddy sighed.

"Our best guess was that she was thrown from a car moving at high speeds. Dr. Cameron was on her way here when she saw her on the side of the highway, and she was the one who brought her in and helped identify her."

He scratched the side of his face and nodded, then looked down at the floor. When he looked up again, Cuddy could see tears in the older man's eyes, and she knew that they all had the same concern on their minds. "Dr. Cuddy," he started slowly. "Was she… was she raped?"

Cuddy looked at the whole group, then licked her lips and said, "I'm afraid it appears that way. We performed a rape kit on her, and there were bruises and signs of trauma and forced entry. I'm sorry." She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat when she saw the tears that appeared in the men's eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered again, and the men nodded slowly.

11:18 p.m.

She opened her eyes slowly, a soft moan escaping her bruised lips. As she took in her surroundings, she slowly turned her head and saw a man asleep beside her, his head resting on the edge of her mattress. She tried to move her right hand, but she quickly realized that he was holding it, and she sighed softly.

As the sound passed through her lips, the man raised his head and looked at her, his bright cerulean eyes clouded with pain and exhaustion. Their eyes met, and she became flooded with emotions, too many to distinguish one from another.

Finally he cleared his throat and brought his shaking hand to rest against her cheek, whispering, "Liv."

Her throat was dry and scratchy, but she managed to ask, "Who are you?"

TBC...

A/N: Okay, this is where the name of the story ties into the plot. Now, go review, my bunnies! Review!


	4. You Are Olivia Benson

Hahaha, I'm glad this is getting such a positve response from ya'll! Thanks a lot for all the reviews, and please keep 'em coming!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine. Rach, you wanna help me kidnap Meloni and Hargitay and use them like dolls? We could push them together and make kissy noises!

This chapter is all for Rach, cause she loves this story and is such a good little reviewer. Thanks Rach!

"She doesn't even know who I am," Elliot whispered as the tears threatened to fall from his eyes. Cragen stepped forward and laid one hand on the younger man's shoulder, unsure of what to say.

Finally, he cleared his throat and looked into Elliot's eyes, then said, "She's still Olivia, Elliot. She's just… lost right now. Believe me, she'll come back to you. Just don't lose faith in her."

Cameron appeared from Olivia's room and looked at the men who immediately surrounded her. "How is she?" Elliot and Cragen asked simultaneously.

She sighed and looked at them, then softly said, "She has basic motor functions and knows how to do most things. She just doesn't remember anything about herself, or the people she knows."

"When will she regain her memory?" Cragen questioned, and Cameron shrugged her shoulders.

"That's hard to say, sir. She could regain all of them tonight, or she might not ever remember. The best thing anyone can do for her right now is to be patient with her, and try to remind her of things she knows. Show her pictures, or just talk to her. Sometimes victims of amnesia snap out of it at the voice or sight of a loved one," she explained, jamming her hands into the pockets of her white lab coat.

Elliot nodded slowly and walked back into Olivia's room, his footsteps timid and unsure. As he came closer to the bed, her eyes opened, and she looked up at him. "Hi, Olivia," he said quietly, standing beside the bed.

"Hi," she murmured uncertainly, staring up into his cerulean eyes. He gave her a small smile, and as he did, something hit her.

_"When I agreed to have dinner with you, I thought we'd be sitting down."_

_"A guy should know where his partner eats lunch."_

_"You and this job are all I've got left. I don't wanna mess that up."_

_"Look how great you turned out."_

_"I'd give you my kidney."_

When she opened her eyes, he was hovering over her, his cerulean eyes wide with fear and concern.

"Olivia? Liv, are you okay?" he demanded. "Do you need me to get Dr. Cameron back in here?" She shook her head slowly, her breaths coming in controlled amounts. Once she felt more in control, she looked up at the man again, and suddenly, she wasn't quite so afraid. There was something about the way he was looking at her, the way he spoke to her, that made her feel safe and told her that she had no reason to fear him or think that he might hurt her.

Leaning back against the pillows, she continued to stare into his eyes as she said softly, "What happened to me? Why can't I remember anything?"

He sank down into the chair beside her bed and rested his hands on his knees, then said, "Olivia, you were… in an accident. You hit your head pretty bad, and you have amnesia."

She gasped softly. "Is it permanent?" she questioned. "I mean, will I ever get my memory back?"

"I don't know, Liv"

"And why do you keep calling me Liv?" He could see that she was becoming frustrated. "This isn't fair! Why can't I remember anything?" she demanded, on the verge of tears. He started to talk, but she rolled onto her side, facing the wall, and let out a sob.

Her pain was breaking his heart, and it killed him that he couldn't help her.

The best thing anyone can do for her right now is to be patient with her, and try to remind her of things she knows. Show her pictures, or just talk to her. Sometimes victims of amnesia snap out of it at the voice or sight of a loved one, Dr. Cameron's voice rang in his ears, and he leaned forward and began to speak softly.

"Your name is Olivia Serena Benson, and you are the kindest, sweetest, toughest and bravest woman I've ever known in my entire life," he said softly, and she slowly rolled back over to look into his eyes. "Your favorite movie is Fools Rush In, but you tell everyone that it's Die Hard, because you think that they'll see you as weak. You love romance novels, long bubble baths, and rainy nights, but you would die before you would admit it to anyone."

"How do you know so much about me?" she asked softly, mystified.

He leaned forward and grinned a little as he shook her hand. "I know all of this because we hang out all the time, when we're not working, and sometimes when we are. Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Elliot Stabler, and I'm your best friend." He paused. "The nickname? That's something we've used since day one. I call you Liv, and you call me El, except when you're mad at me. But that's usually when I go and hide." He chuckled a little.

"Elliot," she repeated softly, and a warm smile came over her face before she could stop it. "It's nice to meet you, Elliot Stabler."

He smiled and tried to swallow the lump that had risen in his throat. "And it's nice to meet you too, Olivia Benson."

TBC...

A/N: Ya, ya, I know it was short. But I promise that the next one'll be muuuuch longer. So go review,.my bunnies!


	5. Going Home

Ah, I finally updated this! Yay!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine. Like I said, I just got oranges...

This chapter is for SVU Sister, the 50th reviewer of this story. Thanks!

The next morning, Elliot was standing outside of Olivia's hospital room with Cameron and Cuddy, talking quietly.

"So, when can I take her home?" he asked, and the two women exchanged glances.

"You mean New York?" Cuddy asked, and Elliot nodded. "Well, she's doing very well, so I really don't see any reason why she can't go with you today. You'll just have to fill out some paperwork to sign her out, then she's all yours." They all stood in silence for several seconds, then Elliot cleared his throat and said, "Well, thank you very much, Dr. Cuddy. And you too, Dr. Cameron."

Cameron stepped forward and shook his hand, then said, "Please. Just call me Allison. And do me a favor, would you, Mr. Stabler?"

Elliot let out a deep chuckle as he shook her hand, saying, "It's Elliot, Allison, and yes. What is it?"

She smiled. "Could you call us and let us know how she is? You both seem like good people, and I'd really like to know how she's doing once she gets back home."

He nodded, then walked back into Olivia's room, closing the door quietly behind him. Once he was gone, Cuddy turned to Cameron and said, "This case has really gotten to you, hasn't it, Cameron?" Cameron nodded a little, and Cuddy squeezed her shoulder briefly before going back to her own duties. Cameron looked into Olivia's room for a few minutes, then shoved her hands into her pockets and walked back down to the board room to watch House torment the other two ducklings.

The door closed softly behind him, and when he turned to face her, he was pleasantly surprised to see her awake and looking at him, a small, shy smile on her face. "Hey, Olivia," he greeted her, taking his chair beside her bed. She was propped up against a multitude of pillows, and the bandage that still rested around her head served to make her pale face appear even paler than it actually was. His eyes drifted down to the old and tattered quilt that covered her. He had called Cragen and asked him to bring it to her, in hopes that it might jog her memory. It hadn't. But it did comfort her, and for that, Elliot was happy.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, jerking him out of his thoughts. He smiled at her and said, "Nothing, Olivia. Just thinking. I have a question for you, though."

"What's that?" The quiet tones of her voice tore at his heart. The only other times he had heard her speak so softly was the night she had literally held his life in the palm of her hand, and when she had finally opened up about her past to him. He blinked, then leaned forward and said, "How would you like to blow this pop stand?"

"You mean leave the hospital?" He could hear the fear raise her voice an octave or two higher, and he leaned forward and gently laid his fingertips on her arm. "Yeah, Olivia. What's wrong? Don't you want to go home?" he asked, and she didn't respond. "Olivia, what is it? Are you afraid to leave here?"

She nodded ever so slightly, and he had to grip the chair with his left hand to keep from diving forward and swallowing her in his arms. "Liv, I know you're scared, but leaving here is a good thing. You'll finally be able to go home." He took a deep breath and added, "With me."

She looked up at him with wide doe eyes, and he smiled reassuringly at her. "We live together?" she asked shyly, and his mouth nearly dropped.

"No… uh, not exactly, Olivia," he stuttered, and she lowered her eyes and began playing with her hands in her lap. "Oh," was her disappointed response, and it tugged at his heart.

Against his better judgment, he reached out and gently grasped her hand, pleasantly surprised when she turned her hand in his so that their palms were touching. The emotion in the simple act brought a lump to Elliot's throat, and for a few minutes, they just sat there and enjoyed the much needed contact.

When he finally spoke again, he said quietly, "Olivia, do you trust me?"

She nodded without hesitation, surprising even herself at the overwhelming amount of trust she had in this man that she barely knew.

"Then please believe me when I say that everything's going to be okay. We're going to get you back home, and hopefully it will set something off in your mind so you can start to remember everything." She didn't look as certain as he sounded, but she offered him a small smile and nod. He glanced at his watch, and a smile spread across his face.

"What?" she asked curiously, and he looked up at her and said, "Today's Valentine's Day." She smiled at him, and he rose to his feet and said, "I'll be right back, Olivia. I just need to go fill out some paperwork so we can go, okay?" She nodded hesitantly and watched him go with a large degree of fear and apprehension.

Elliot walked out into the hall, careful to leave Olivia's door open, and he pulled out his cell phone and began pushing the small buttons. "Is it ready? Okay, great. We'll be there in an hour or two. Yeah, I just need to sign her out, then we'll be heading that way. Okay, yeah. Great. Talk to you later." He closed the phone with a smile, then returned it to his pocket and walked down to the nurse's station.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

Elliot was sitting beside Olivia's bed when the older man walked in, pushing a wheelchair with one hand and holding a cane with the other. "Word is that we have a lady trying to escape," the man stated, and Elliot rose to his feet and stuck out his hand for the older man to shake. He ignored it and brushed past Elliot to stand beside Olivia's bed, and Elliot could see the fear return to her eyes.

"And who are you?" Elliot demanded, moving to stand between Olivia and the stranger.

The man rolled his eyes and muttered, "Men. I'm not going to hurt her. The name's Dr. House."

"Yeah, well, Dr. House," Elliot bit out. "Where's Dr. Cuddy or Dr. Cameron?"

"Ah, don't know. They disappear like that sometimes. I'm just here to see that this lovely lady gets out of here without falling down," House commented, and Elliot relaxed a little. "You've got several broken ribs, so you're going to need to take it easy for the next few weeks. This guy's already been shown how to wrap and rewrap your ribs. Try to remain sitting as much as possible. Too much strain can make more of your ribs snap."

Turning to Olivia, he said, "Are you ready to go, Olivia?" She nodded at her partner, and he carefully slid one arm around her back, the other going under her knees. With a small grunt, he stood upright and carefully placed her in the chair, then took the handles and guided her out of the room, leaving behind a bemused House.

Once they reached the hospital exit, Elliot carefully helped her out of the chair, smiling a little as she clung to him for support. "You ready to go home?" he asked softly as he guided her into the bright sunlight.

She nodded slowly, but inside, she didn't know if anywhere would ever really be home for her again.

TBC...

A/N: Okay, so what do ya'll think, my bunnies? Like it? I hope ya do... Rach, didya find those dolls?


End file.
